


a Point Between Extremes

by helo572



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Collector base, Comfort, F/M, Mass Effect 2, Multiple Shepards, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Renegade Shepard (Mass Effect), Shepard Siblings, Tumblr Prompt, except GASP he lied, miranda feels responsible and it's very sad, there's twisted canon, this shep had a sister who died, which TIM promised to resurrected in return for shep working with him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-12 21:01:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11745120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helo572/pseuds/helo572
Summary: A moment of peace on the Collector Base assault is a moment too long for Kwon while he wrestles with his demons.





	a Point Between Extremes

**Author's Note:**

> [ yoe mase - lonely (acoustic) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKcwrKrkFAc)  
>   
> 
> the gorgeous [galaxy](http://galaxydetective.tumblr.com/) prompted me from [this meme](http://talizorahs.tumblr.com/post/161952211674/writing-prompts) #16 “just shut up and kiss me” / m!shepard x miranda lawson. here u go baby I LOVE YOU THANK YOU
> 
> background notes for u: kwon has a sister, tess or tae yeon, she died in the me2 prequel. instead kwon joins cerberus as a fully-fledged alive agent on the premise TIM will use lazarus to resurrect tess. 
> 
> spoilers: he lies and miranda feels responsible. kwon can't blame her, she didn't know AND he loves her but he still can't help be sad AND REALLY MAD AT TIM. really this is just shep x miranda comfort tho. let shep grieve 2k17.

“This is new.” Down a reclaimed corridor in the Collector Base Miranda finds him, sunk against a half blown-out wall, hands threaded into his hair. “Usually you’d be kicking a wall half to pieces, or screaming your lungs out at those poor fish. I’m impressed.”

 

Kwon has to scoff, sparing her a pained glance. “And usually you’d be telling me something about Cerberus right about now, kicking it for humanity, or some other propaganda bullshit.” She sits down beside him and he relaxes just that fraction, letting out a long breath, concluding, “We’ve all changed a little bit.”

 

They have a few moments while the rescued crew come to their senses from the pods, and Mordin sorts through their injuries as best he can. It seems they all need it, to come to terms with the realities of the base, of Cerberus, of the deception they’d be evidently tricked into enacting. Miranda was angry, too. Shepard’s sudden calm is terrifying in comparison.

 

She adds softly, “But I _am_ surprised you’re not with your crew.” She settles in closer, dipping her head to try and catch his gaze, which he allows with a more meek smile.

 

“ _My_ crew,” he repeats back at her, like it’s something he didn’t realise was attached to him, a chanted title or that air of honour transformed from the stench of stigma. There’s a laugh in there. “Yeah, all of them just fucking followed me out here, expecting some big fucking show down, a shit show with the Illusive Man. And then for me to bring them home at the end of it.” He settles against Miranda too, now, hard, head resting against her shoulder. “It’s ridiculous,” he declares with a huff. “Fucking bullshit. I’m not some fucking hero, Miri. That’s my _sister._ ”

 

The both of them were never one for pep talks, or hand-holding like this. It wasn’t a luxury offered to either of them, forced into duty and loyalty where the existence of it was often questionable or even entirely misplaced. With Cerberus, definitely. With the Alliance, perhaps not, after all this they may still have a chance at saving the galaxy with all they learned during this tragedy.

 

“And… she’s dead,” breathes Kwon, exhaling as he does, limp against Miranda’s side. She soothes him with fingers in his hair, timing it to his breaths: in and out, in and out, in and out.

 

“I’m sorry,” she murmurs in return.

 

“Right now, she’d be the sort to give me some big fucking - I don’t know - Shepard brand speech like Dad used to try and give me. ‘Shape up, son’. Except I got Tae’s fuckin’.... _crew._ Shaping up to that, to be like her. It’s madness. Miri.”

 

“Not if they all followed you down here.” There are still hushed voices coming from down the corridor: Mordin’s babble, various tones of exasperated relief. “And not if I’m still here.” He lifts his head to meet her eyes, where Miranda smiles softly.

 

“Just shut up and kiss me,” are his next words, with all the bravado she grew to love, mixed in with that quiet insecurity and need to be better. A reflection, one she could hold and reassure and love in her own two hands. It was freeing.

 

So is kissing him, his soft lips wandering hers for comfort, for something solid. He tastes wonderful, like that cocoa her father used to make all those years ago, or the coffees they used to share at the base - her not quite believing she was sitting opposite a Shepard, him not quite believing he was sitting with _Cerberus_ after his sister was completely abandoned by the Alliance.

 

It all came crashing down. Apart from Kwon, who pulls away breathless now, looking much more relieved than when Miranda found him hiding down here.

 

“Thank you,” he murmurs next, coming to rest their forwards together, taking a deep breath. “Sorry…. just battle nerves. All this shit going on. Does things to me, you know? And the crew-”

 

“Would you shut up for once.” They stare at each other, pressed close in the alien of the Collector Base. “It’s okay. I _care_ , Kwon. Like you care about me. We worked this out. We _are_ _still_ working it out. Getting _your_ crew home, getting this base the fuck out of the Illusive Man’s claws. We’ll do it together.”

 

There’s that Shepard smirk returning full force, complete with the red twinkle in his eye. Suddenly they’re both on their feet again, hand in hand, they face the crew still hidden in their makeshift cove.

 

People stare. Miranda is glad. Kwon squeezes her hand hard, barking something about strike teams, one for assaulting the base, one for getting the injured back to the Normandy safely. The plan is set in motion quickly: Jacob to divert back to the Normandy, her to lead a separate team for the heart while Shepard dives directly for the head.

 

And the crew follows. Then, most notably, Garrus lays a hand on Kwon’s shoulders afterwards, loaded rifle in the other arm, and says, “Tess would be really fucking proud of you today, kid.”

 

Miranda doesn’t let go of his hand, not until it’s time to go, time to win this fight and bring it all home as a big fuck you to Cerberus. The Illusive Man will never know what hit him.

**Author's Note:**

> thank u for reading <3


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